Price range: $66.00 through $180.00
Biblical art: Giclee print on canvas or on fine art paper
Size 30 x 42cm (12″ x 16″)
Short excerpt from the Torah portion: Vayakhel
And every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that the Lord has commanded: The Mishkan, its tent and its cover, its clasps and its planks, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; the ark and its poles, the ark cover and the screening dividing curtain; the table and its poles and all its implements, and the showbread; and the menorah for lighting and its implements and its lamps, and the oil for lighting; and the altar for incense and its poles, and the anointing oil and the incense and the screen of the entrance for the entrance of the Mishkan; the altar for the burnt offering, its copper grating, its poles and all its implements, the washstand and its base; the hangings of the courtyard, its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen of the gate of the courtyard; the pegs of the Mishkan and the pegs of the courtyard, and their ropes; the meshwork garments to serve in the Holy, the holy garments for Aaron the Kohen, and the garments of his sons [in which] to serve [as kohanim]. – Exodus Ch 35
For further reading
You can learn more about the Torah Parshot at the excellent and extensive Chabad site here.
And here you can see my other Biblical art from the Book of Exodus.
The colours will probably look slightly different in the actual print than on your screen, but the print will be as faithful as possible to the original artwork. Your print will be made specifically for you once you’ve placed your order.
The double Parsha, Vayakel–Pekudei, describes the construction of the Mishkan, the sanctuary that would house the Divine Presence among the people of Israel.
Moshe gathers the people together once again.
The Torah tells us:
וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה
“And Moshe assembled the entire community of Israel…” (Exodus 35:1)
After the devastating crisis of the Golden Calf, the people are given a new mission: to build something sacred together.
Instead of rebellion, the people respond with generosity.
The Torah tells us that the people begin bringing donations, gold, silver, copper, fabrics, precious stones, and skilled labor.
Men and women alike contribute what they can, wealth, craftsmanship, and labor.
The generosity becomes so overwhelming that Moshe eventually gives an extraordinary instruction:
Stop bringing donations.
There is already more than enough. It is one of the rare moments in history when a people’s generosity exceeds the need. A fractured nation becomes united in building something sacred.
The Mishkan was not built by kings or governments.
It was built through the voluntary generosity and sacrifice of the people themselves.
The Torah describes this moment in a remarkable way:
וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר נְשָׂאוֹ לִבּוֹ
וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר נָדְבָה רוּחוֹ אֹתוֹ
“And everyone whose heart lifted them, and everyone whose spirit moved them, came and brought their offering to Hashem for the work of the Tent of Meeting.” (Exodus 35:21)
Every contribution, large or small, became part of something greater than any individual.
In our own time we are witnessing a similar moment. Across Israel and throughout the Jewish world, people are stepping forward to defend freedom and confront forces that glorify violence and destruction.
Soldiers risk their lives on the battlefield.
Citizens mobilize to support them.
Communities organize to defend the values that allow civilization itself to exist.
Today, as thousands of IDF reservists are once again being called to serve, we pray that the same spirit described in the Torah, hearts lifted and spirits moved, inspires generosity among those able to support them, ensuring those on the front lines have the protection and equipment needed to complete their mission.
The very word that begins this Parsha – Vayakel – carries powerful meaning:
וַיַּקְהֵל, “And he assembled.”
Just as Moshe assembled the people of Israel to build something sacred, so too in our generation we see a nation assembling, soldiers, citizens, and communities, to defend life and ensure the future of the Jewish people.
In every generation, when the moment arrives, it is the courage of ordinary people, those whose hearts are lifted and spirits moved, that determines whether darkness advances or whether light is rebuilt once again.
Even in difficult times, the Jewish people have always understood that darkness does not have the final word. From the wilderness to the present day, our survival has depended on faith, courage, and the willingness of ordinary people to rise to extraordinary moments.
In many ways, since October 7th we have been living through a national “Stop the Bleed” moment, stabilizing, protecting life, and preparing to rebuild.
Just as the people assembled to build the Mishkan, we too continue the work of healing and strengthening our nation.
Just as their hearts were lifted to contribute, we see that same spirit today in those who defend Israel, those who support them, and those who refuse to surrender hope.
Just as our ancestors assembled to build the Mishkan in the wilderness, so too we are assembling in our generation to defend, rebuild, and strengthen the future of Israel and the Jewish people.
As the Book of Exodus concludes, the Torah leaves us with a powerful image:
כִּי עֲנַן יְהוָה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן יוֹמָם
וְאֵשׁ תִּהְיֶה לַיְלָה בּוֹ
לְעֵינֵי כָל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל
בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶם
“For the cloud of the Lord was upon the Mishkan by day, and fire was within it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” (Exodus 40:38)
Even in the wilderness uncertain and dangerous, the people of Israel were never alone.
The Mishkan that our ancestors built would one day give way to the Beit HaMikdash in Jerusalem, and our tradition teaches that one day it will be rebuilt again, a symbol that the work of faith, unity, and rebuilding is never finished.
May the One who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob bless and protect all those who stand guard in defense of life and freedom.
May the Holy One send them strength from above and safeguard their going out and their coming in for life and for peace.
As we conclude the Book of Exodus, we are reminded of the timeless words:
חזק חזק ונתחזק
Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another.
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